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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Assessment of Condition Monitoring Methods and Technologies for Inservice Inspection and Testing of Nuclear Power Plant Components

This report was prepared for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to explore the application of advanced technologies toward meeting the current and future regulatory requirements for maintenance and condition monitoring of structures, systems, and components. The advanced technologies considered in this work are advanced sensors and instrumentation, data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI), physics-based models, and digital twins (DT). The interest in the application of advanced technologies for condition monitoring in nuclear power plants continues to grow, and current and future licensees are expected to implement advanced technologies as part of their inservice inspection (ISI) and inservice testing (IST) programs. This report delineates the outcomes of an exploratory investigation into the implementation of advanced condition monitoring technologies to address ISI and IST requirements. A thorough review was conducted of the existing regulatory requirements for ISI and IST, along with an analysis of associated industry practices. Additionally, a state-of-the-art assessment was performed on advanced condition monitoring technologies frequently employed in non-nuclear sectors. This research incorporated two nuclear-specific case studies to illustrate the application of these technologies within the current nuclear fleet. The report provides an exhaustive discussion on the technical challenges, considerations, and opportunities associated with the deployment of advanced condition monitoring technologies. The following are key considerations in the application of advanced technologies for the ISI and IST of nuclear power plant components: • Developing adequate verification and validation procedures to confirm the functional and non-functional requirements, • Developing technical capabilities to conduct real-time asset condition monitoring, • Establishing guidance and protocol for modeling and simulation tools to continuously meet regulatory requirements, • Addressing trustworthiness, explainability, and interpretability of ML/AI methods, • Evaluating maintenance activities to maintain an adequate safety margin and avoid undesirable conditions, • Establishing cybersecure condition monitoring programs associated with a computer-based software system, and • Establishing standardized evaluation metrics for advanced condition monitoring programs. Interest in the use of advanced technologies for condition monitoring in ISI and IST programs continues to grow, and the technology is expected to experience rapid and wide industry adoption in the near future. Adoption of advanced technologies for condition monitoring could have novel and unique impacts on regulatory activities associated with ISI and IST programs. The NRC is continuing to explore the regulatory aspects of advanced technologies as part of ISI and IST programs by pursuing additional research in this technical area.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cooperative control of a DNA origami force sensor

Abstract Biomolecular systems are dependent on a complex interplay of forces. Modern force spectroscopy techniques provide means of interrogating these forces, but they are not optimized for studies in constrained environments as they require attachment to micron-scale probes such as beads or cantilevers. Nanomechanical devices are a promising alternative, but this requires versatile designs that can be tuned to respond to a wide range of forces. We investigate the properties of a nanoscale force sensitive DNA origami device which is highly customizable in geometry, functionalization, and mechanical properties. The device, referred to as the NanoDyn, has a binary (open or closed) response to an applied force by undergoing a reversible structural transition. The transition force is tuned with minor alterations of 1 to 3 DNA oligonucleotides and spans tens of picoNewtons (pN). The DNA oligonucleotide design parameters also strongly influence the efficiency of resetting the initial state, with higher stability devices (≳10 pN) resetting more reliably during repeated force-loading cycles. Finally, we show the opening force is tunable in real time by adding a single DNA oligonucleotide. These results establish the potential of the NanoDyn as a versatile force sensor and provide fundamental insights into how design parameters modulate mechanical and dynamic properties.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2015

Biomimetic Optical Sensor for Real-Time Aircraft Wing Deflection Measurement

Reducing the environmental impact of aviation is a primary goal of NASA aeronautics research. One approach to achieve this goal is to build lighter weight aircraft, which presents complex challenges due to a corresponding increase in structural flexibility. Wing flexibility can adversely affect aircraft performance from the perspective of aerodynamic efficiency and safety. Knowledge of the wing position during flight can aid active control methods designed to mitigate problems due to increased wing flexibility. Current approaches to measuring wing deflection, including strain measurement devices, accelerometers, or GPS solutions, and new technologies such as fiber optic strain sensors, have limitations for their practical application to flexible aircraft control. Hence, it was proposed to use a bio-mimetic optical sensor based on the fly-eye to track wing deflection in real-time. The fly-eye sensor has several advantages over conventional sensors used for this application, including light weight, low power requirements, fast computation, and a small form factor. This paper reports on the fly-eye sensor development and its application to real-time wing deflection measurement.

Frost, Susan A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Demonstration of a 1820 channel multiplexer for transition-edge sensor bolometers

The scalability of most transition-edge sensor arrays is limited by the multiplexing technology, which combines their signals over a reduced number of wires and amplifiers. Here, in this Letter, we present and demonstrate a multiplexer design optimized for transition-edge sensor bolometers with 1820 sensors per readout unit, a factor of two more than the previous state-of-the-art. The design is optimized for cosmic microwave background imaging applications, and it builds on previous microwave superconducting quantum interference device multiplexers by doubling the available readout bandwidth to the full 4–8 GHz octave. Evaluating the key performance metrics of yield, sensitivity, and crosstalk through laboratory testing, we find an end-to-end operable detector yield of 78%, a typical nearest-neighbor crosstalk amplitude of ∼0.4%, and a median white noise level of 83 pA/$\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}$ due to the multiplexer, corresponding to an estimated contribution of 4% to the total system noise for a ground-based cosmic microwave background telescope. Additionally, we identify a possible path toward reducing resonator loss for future designs with reduced noise. We expect these developments to alleviate the system complexity, cryogenic requirements, and cost of future large arrays of low temperature detectors.

cosmic microwave background↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Framework to Design Consumer-Centric Operational Strategies for Resilience Enhancement

Extreme temperature-related events like heat waves or cold snaps can significantly stress the power distribution grid as electricity demand spikes leading to brownouts or blackouts if not managed properly. In addition, such extreme events can exacerbate inequity, with vulnerable populations (for example, houses with poor insulation, located in non-critical zones, and lack of local resources) at greater risk. There is a growing deployment of distribution systems automation technologies such as advanced metering infrastructure, sensors, and automated control systems to enhance the visibility of the entire distribution grid while meeting resilience objectives. Here, this paper proposes a framework for investigating how automation can improve the distribution system's resilience and ensure customers' health and safety during such extremes. The proposed framework's efficacy will be demonstrated for the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) during winter storm Uri with varying levels of distribution automation technologies such as feeder isolation using smart switches, remote outage signals using advanced meters, and comfort-aware outage using advanced analytics and communication. Simulation results show that an outage strategy involving advanced grid technology and communication can reduce the occupant exposure to severe cold by 93% and, simultaneously, reduce expected energy not served by 73.2% when compared against feeder isolation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

A 24-Channel Digitizer With a JESD204B-Compliant Serial Interface for High-Speed Detectors

In this report a 24-channel application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for the readout of high-speed CMOS active pixel sensors for charged particle detection is presented. The chip comprises 24 preamplifiers, 24 distinct 12-bit, 25 MSPS Pipelined analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with self-calibration, an internal phase-locked loop (PLL), and a 3 Gbps serial interface that conforms to the JESD204B standard. To simplify interfacing with a variety of sensors, the ASIC also includes an automatic offset calibration loop. The high level of integration of the ASIC reduces overall system cost and area, and exploiting the signal characteristics of the image sensor allows the ADC to be optimized for reduced power dissipation. The use of an integrated serializer and an industry standard protocol simplifies integration of the ASIC into a complete camera system. The ASIC, called the High-Speed Image Preprocessor Targeted for Electron Readout, or HIPSTER, with a die area of 64.26 mm 2 , is packaged in a 480-ball grid array (BGA) and is fabricated in 180-nm CMOS technology. HIPSTER achieves typical differential nonlinearity (DNL) < 0.55 LSB, input-referred thermal noise of $114.5 μV-rms, and a bit error rate (BER) of better than 10-14. The power dissipation is 98 mW/channel.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2000

SPINOFF 2000

For the past 42 years, NASA has made special efforts to ensure the widest possible dissemination of its research and technology developments. We share the wealth of technology developed for our missions with the nation's industries to contribute to US economic strength and quality of life. For the past 27 years, this publication has provided you with over 1,200 examples of products and services developed as a direct result of commercial partnerships between NASA and the business community. Examples have covered products from fire retardant materials and air pollution monitors to non-invasive cardiac monitors and sensors for environmental control. In the Technology Transfer and Outreach section of Spinoff 2000, we highlight the activities of our Ames Research Center's Commercial Technology Office (CTO). Their efforts to facilitate and support technology commercialization are representative of the CTO at each field center. Increased activities to accelerate the dissemination of technologies, speed up the process of patent licensing, quicken the release of software for beta testing, support and manage incubators, and hasten the collaboration with commercial and academic organizations will continue to maximize the earliest potential commercial utilization of NASA's new inventions and technologies. Spinoff 2000 is organized into three sections: (1) Aerospace and Development highlights major research and development efforts currently carried out at the 10 NASA field centers; (2) Commercial Benefits-Spinoffs describes commercially available products and services resulting from the transfer of NASA technology; and (3) Technology Transfer and Outreach features this year's center spotlight, NASA's Ames Research Center, and its commercialization efforts, as well as the mechanisms in place nationwide to assist US industry in obtaining, transferring, and applying NASA technology, expertise, and assistance.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2007

Sensor Webs with a Service-Oriented Architecture for On-demand Science Products

This paper describes the work being managed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Information System Division (ISD) under a NASA Earth Science Technology Ofice (ESTO) Advanced Information System Technology (AIST) grant to develop a modular sensor web architecture which enables discovery of sensors and workflows that can create customized science via a high-level service-oriented architecture based on Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) web service standards. These capabilities serve as a prototype to a user-centric architecture for Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). This work builds and extends previous sensor web efforts conducted at NASA/GSFC using the Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) satellite and other low-earth orbiting satellites.

Mandl, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2006

Event Detection in Aerospace Systems using Centralized Sensor Networks: A Comparative Study of Several Methodologies

Recent advances in micro electromechanical systems technology, digital electronics, and wireless communications have enabled development of low-cost, low-power, multifunctional miniature smart sensors. These sensors can be deployed throughout a region in an aerospace vehicle to build a network for measurement, detection and surveillance applications. Event detection using such centralized sensor networks is often regarded as one of the most promising health management technologies in aerospace applications where timely detection of local anomalies has a great impact on the safety of the mission. In this paper, we propose to conduct a qualitative comparison of several local event detection algorithms for centralized redundant sensor networks. The algorithms are compared with respect to their ability to locate and evaluate an event in the presence of noise and sensor failures for various node geometries and densities.

Mehr, Ali Farhang↗
DOE OSTI2020

Savannah River Site H-Canyon Advancing Technologies for Remote Inspections - 20345

In 2017, the DOE Environmental Management Office of Technology Development (DOE-EM TD) sponsored the H-Canyon Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) to demonstrate to DOE facilities the value of using new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and near-ready technologies to solve difficult problems and enhance worker safety. The DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) H-Canyon Air Exhaust Tunnel (HCAEX) inspection task was identified as representative of the hazardous, human denied environments which could benefit from advanced technologies. The HCAEX underground concrete tunnel is visually inspected biannually using a camera mounted on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) designed and built by SRNL. While tunnel images have provided valuable visual information, it is desirable to have a higher order of understanding of the environment to support a more thorough structural integrity (SI) analysis and for long term planning purposes. As part of the ATD, the Concrete Integrated Product Team (CIPT) was formed to identify and evaluate available sensors and methods mature enough to remotely obtain tunnel concrete characterization data of high value and with a high probability of success. The team included SMEs and H-Canyon stakeholders in the field of concrete, nondestructive examination (NDE), structural integrity, sensors and remote systems from SRNL, SRNS, LANL, DOE-SR and the Army Corps of Engineering. The CIPT completed an in-depth identification of customer concrete inspection needs and potential technology solutions. Sensors and methods were evaluated on performance, data usefulness, cost and the feasibility of a successful deployment given the unique tunnel access challenges and environment. Two technologies were identified as promising by the CIPT for near term demonstration and evaluation: Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) 3-dimensional (3D) mapping and remote robotic deployment of NDE instrumentation. Laser spectroscopy to characterize tunnel surface chemical changes was also of interest, but presently cost prohibitive. This paper will include a discussion of the two efforts underway to evaluate and implement the CIPT recommendations. First, the status of the November 2019 deployment of Lidar at a single location into the tunnel is presented. This initial deployment provided the team a learning curve and lessons learned on the challenges of tunnel deployment to include remote operation and data collection, stabilization of the sensor in high air flow (∼30 mph), ability to achieve a tolerance accuracy of 0.25-inches, and the probability to identify change in tunnel dimensions over time. Secondly, a discussion on the development of the Robotic Arm Concrete Inspection Test Bed capable of deploying NDE instruments to examine custom concrete forms will be presented. Concrete forms simulating the rough concrete surfaces, strength, composition and potential structural defects that can be found at our DOE EM facilities have been designed and built for the test bed. Two state-of-the art concrete NDE instruments have been identified as having potential to work on rough concrete walls, they are being tested and characterized as to their ability to provide desired structural integrity data to include wall thickness and defect identification on the developed test beams. Lastly, lessons learned, and the path forward will be presented. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Accelerating the Deployment of Space-Based Quantum Sensors

Quantum sensors rely on quantum mechanical properties, such as wave-particle duality, atomic energy levels, or entanglement, to measure physical, optical, or electromagnetic information from a target. Examples include Rydberg sensors, nitrogen-vacancy magnetometers, HOM (Hong-Ou-Mandel) interferometers, and SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices). In general, as quantum sensors rely on interrogation at the atomic and photonic level rather than on classical mechanical measurements, these technologies promise advantages over their traditional counterparts in sensitivity, accuracy, and SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power). Conceptually, the use of quantum sensors unlocks the new phenomenology of sensor entanglement. While an ultra-low TRL (Technology Readiness Level) prospect for most sensor types, multi-sensor entanglement is a high risk, high reward strategy with a potential for exquisite sensitivity and SWaP improvements entirely inaccessible to classical sensors.

Grace Caroline Wusk↗
DOE OSTI2019

Safer and optimized vulnerability scanning for operational technology through integrated and automated passive monitoring and active scanning

Vulnerability scanning of embedded sensors and controllers have a history of causing disruption and malfunction within operation technology environments. Traditional information technology vulnerability scanning generally consists of blunt exercising all or a large population of test conditions to understand how equipment responds. Often the large number and varied conditions of the tests are too much for embedded systems to handle. This paper presents a methodology and framework for integrating passive monitoring and active scanning techniques to optimize the type and amount of necessary active communication tests while achieving acceptable levels of device and vulnerability discovery. Bayesian probability and networks are leveraged for inference to drive the automation of the scanning actions to achieve confidence in discovery. Through inference, selecting the optimal active scans with the least risk and highest confidence impact is possible, thereby eliminating unnecessary scans with uncertain effects. Results of experimenting with real power systems and the following probabilities are provided.

Key Management, ICS, SCADA, Authentication↗
DOE OSTI2022

Identifying Controlling Variables Related to Mercury Vapor Concentrations in Legacy Facilities: SRNL Technology Development For D&D

A suite of sensor packages has been installed in the Alpha-4 facility at Y-12 and preliminary data analysis to isolate the controlling variables has been performed after two months of data collection. In line with the conceptual model presented in Section 2.0, the preliminary analysis has demonstrated that temperature, barometric pressure, and relative humidity are the key controlling variables for mercury vapor releases within the building. The data analysis will continue to explore these controlling variables across the next several months to capture a more complete picture of the annual change in meteorological conditions at Y-12.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1971

Physical limitations in sensors for a drag-free deep space probe

The inner perturbing forces acting on sensors were analyzed, taking into account the technological limitations imposed on the proof mass position pickup and proof mass acquisition system. The resulting perturbing accelerations are evaluated as a function of the drag-free sensor parameters. Perturbations included gravitational attraction, electrical action, magnetic action, pressure effects, radiation effects, and action of the position pickup. These data can be used to study the laws of guidance, providing an optimization of the space probe as a whole.

Juillerat, R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Research and technology, fiscal year 1985

Capabilities in spacecraft subsystems, sensors, space communications and navigation, the acquisition of data from space missions and the extraction of information from that data were reviewed. The use of satellite data in the study of the Earth's atmosphere and climate, the dynamics of its crust and the monitoring of land and water resources were examined. A review of NASA flight projects for 1985 was presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1991

An overview of autonomous rendezvous and docking system technology development at General Dynamics

The Centaur avionics suite is undergoing a dramatic modernization for the commercial, DoD Atlas and Titan programs. The system has been upgraded to the current state-of-the-art in ring laser gyro inertial sensors and Mil-Std-1750A processor technology. The Cruise Missile avionic system has similarly been evolving for many years. Integration of GPS into both systems has been underway for over five years with a follow-on cruise missile system currently in flight test. Rendezvous and Docking related studies have been conducted for over five years in support of OMV, CTV, and Advanced Upper Stages, as well as several other internal IR&D's. The avionics system and AR&D simulator demonstrated to the SATWG in November 1990 has been upgraded considerably under two IR&D programs in 1991. The Centaur modern avionics system is being flown in block upgrades which started in July of 1990. The Inertial Navigation Unit will fly in November of 1991. The Cruise Missile avionics systems have been fully tested and operationally validated in combat. The integrated AR&D system for space vehicle applications has been under development and testing since 1990. A Joint NASA / GD ARD&L System Test Program is currently being planned to validate several aspects of system performance in three different NASA test facilities in 1992.

Kuenzel, Fred↗
NASA NTRS2002

Adaptive Resource Management Technology for Satellite Constellations

This manuscript describes the Sensor Web Adaptive Resource Manager (SWARM) project. The primary focus of the project is on the design and prototyping of middleware for managing computing and network resources in a way that enables the information systems of satellite constellations to provide realtime performance within dynamic environments. The middleware has been prototyped, and it has been evaluated by employing it to manage a pool of distributed resources for the ITOS (Integrated Test and Operations System) satellite command and control software system. The design of the middleware is discussed and a summary of the evaluation effort is provided.

Welch, Lonnie↗